Charles c



(No Model.)

TABLE ATTACHMENT *FOR-CHAIRS."

C. WHELAN.

PatentedAOot. 3

UNITED STATES PATENT CEEICE".

CHARLES C. WHELAN, OFZWASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

y TABLE ATTACHMENT FOR CHAIRS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 506,035, dated October 3, 1893. v Application tiled December 27, 1892. Serial N0.456,382. (N o model.)

To all whom it may concern:

- Beit known that I, CHARLES G. WHELAN, a

citizen of the United States, residing at IVashington, in the District of'Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Table Attachments for Chairs; and I do hereby declare the following to be afull, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to an improved table attachment, which may be detachably secured to the arm of a chair, or between the arms of two adjacently placed chairs, and it is particularly designed to Vbe used in any place where lunch or other refreshments are served, where it is impracticable or undesirable for lack of space to place the ordinary tables and where it is desirable to economize room or for ease of patrons to serve such lunch or refreshments on aflat surface accommodated to a person sitting down.

To this end the invention consists of a tablet of suitable size and make, provided with a raised and depending rim around its side and front edges, the raised rim servic g to retain articles placed upon it and prevent the escape of liquids that may be accidentally spilled upon it, the tablet on its under side being provided with devices by Vwhich it may be fastened to the arm or arms of a chair, and where a number of adjacently placed chairs are used, with a device, by which the chairs may be held at suitable distances apart, so as to prevent them from being crowded to either side as more fully hereinafter specified.

Figure l represents a perspective view of two chairs located side by side and showing my invention in two forms applied thereto. Fig. 2 represents a bottom view of one arm of a chair, showing the tablet applied thereto, in dotted lines, and the fastening devices partly in full and partly in dotted lines. Fig. 3 represents a view of a tablet designed to be placed between two adjacent chairs and supported upon the adjacent arms thereof. Fig. 4 represents a bottom plan view of the tablet to be set between two chairs, showing a cross section of the rear uprights of the chair, and the spacing and locking devices attached to said tablet, in dotted lines. Fig. 5 represents a transverse sectional view of the tablet to 'edges of be attached to one arm of a single chair. Fig. 6 represents a sectional view of a modification of the locking device, shown also in perspective in Fig. 3, and Fig. 7 represents a cross section of the tablet and locking -devices, of' the form shown in Fig. l located between the two chairs, and supported by the adjacent arms thereof.

Referring to Athe drawings, the numeral 1 indicates two chairs of the form commonly used in lunch rooms, and 2 the arms thereof, which are flat and horizontal, as usual in the said type of chairs.

Y The numeral 3 indicates aiat tablet of suitable shape, size and material, which is adapted to seat horizontally upon the arm of a chair or upon the adjacent arms of two chairs, placed side by side.

As shown at the left hand side of Fig. 1, and also in Figs. 2 and 5 of the drawings, the tablet is preferably made to conform, somewhat, to the shape of the arm of the chair.

In the form shown in Figs. 1, 3, 4, 6, and '7,V

the tablet is made of such width and shape as to rest upon, and cover the arms of two adj acently placed chairs. The tablet in each case is provided with a rim 4, surrounding its front and sides which extends upwardly and downwardly, so as to form ledges at the the upper and lower faces of said tablet. The upper ledge, serves to prevent articles from being pushed oi of the tablet, andv also to confine liquids slopped over from the vessels containing them, while the open rear portions of the tablet permit it to be readily cleared of slops and articles of food.

In the form shown at the left of Fig. 1 and in Fig. 2 of the drawings, respectively the tablet at one rear corner is formed, with a rectangular recess 5, and the rim is bent so as to conform to the shape of the said recess, forming a seat, a portion of the lower part of the rim of such inwardly bent portion being cut away, for the purpose more fully hereinafter described and explained.

In the forms shown in Figs. 1, 3, and It of the drawings, illustrating atablet to be placed between two adjoining chairs, each rear corner is similarly recessed, and the rim similarly bent inwardly, the cut away portion of the rim being clearly indicated by the numeral 6, in Fig. 3 of the drawings. The re IOO cessed portions thus formed t against the rear uprights of the chair, and the cut away portions of the rim set over the narrow portion of the arm at its intersection with the rear upright of the chair, and assist in holding the tablet in place.

The tablets shown particularly in Figs. 2, and 5, are provided on the under side with angular clamping brackets 7, to embrace the arm of the chair. These may be made of spring metal, so that the tablet may be pushed to its place by a lateral movement, or they may be made rigid so that the tablet may be clamped to the arm of the chair, by means of a screw and clamping nut as shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings.

In the form shown in Figs. l, 3, and 4, of the drawings, the recesses at the rear corners, t the uprights and intersecting arms of two adjacent chairs. In this modiication, the tablet is secured to the chair by means of hooks 8, secured by a staple 8a to the lower side of the tablet, which are adapted to engage similar staples 9 on the under side of the arms: or the tablet may be provided with spring catches 10 at each side, as shown in Figs. 3, and 6, of the drawings, which engage the edges of the chair arms and hold the tablet thereto. It is evident that either or both of these forms of locking devices may be employed.

In order to keep the chains properly spaced, so that they cannot be crowded together rand the tablets and their contents disarranged, the tablet as shown in Fig. 4 is formed with a longitudinal central brace board 1l, on the lower side of such configuration as to tit the space between the adjacent arms of the chair when the tablet is in place and thus hold the chairs apart.

As before stated the tablet may be constructed of any suitable material, and may be of any convenient shape, and the surrounding arm may be of metal or other material, and may be highly polished or formed with ornamental design, to enhance the appearance and give a pleasing finish to the tablet.

From the above description, the method of applying my invention will be clearly understood in connection with the drawings, without further explanation. It will be evident also, from the above description and drawings, that my invention furnishes alight, cheap and ornamental device that can be readily applied to the chairs, already in use as well as to others of special construction, and that by its use, all of the advantages of an ordinary table may be obtained in a limited space, with the further advantage of furnishing a support for articles of food and table ware that will prevent such articles from being pushed off, and also prevent slopping over at the edges of accidentally spilled liqnids.

While my invention is described as particularly applicable to use in lunch rooms,it is evident that its usefulness is not limited to such places, as it may be employed in connection with invalid chairs, and chairs used for various other purposes, especially the form in which it is constructed for the arm or arms of a single chair.

When the invention is used in connection with a series of chairs, it is evident that the tablet as shown particularly in Fig. 2 will be employed at the outside arm of the chair at each end of the series, forming a proper finish at such ends.

Having thus fully what I claim as new, Letters Patent, is-

A table attachment for chairs, consisting of a tablet having a raised and depending rim at its side and front edges, and recesses at its rear corners, into which the rim is bent, a portion of the inbent rim being cutaway, the recess and rim forming an interlocking seat, to fasten the tablet to the intersecting portions of a rear upright and arm of a chair, substantially as shown and described.

' In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES C. WHELAN.

described my invention, and desire to secure by Witnesses:

E. QUINcY SMITH, B. J. COLLINS. 

